Enormous 100ft-wide ‘Gate to Hell’ sinkhole opens up near Russian ski resort at ‘sanctioned mine linked to Roman Abramovich’
- The sinkhole formed at the Sheregesh mine in Sibera’s Kemerovo region
- It is near to a popular ski resort, which holds a famous bathing suit competition
- Residents from four homes had to be moved but there were no casualties
An enormous 100ft-wide ‘Gate to Hell’ sinkhole has opened up near a ski resort in Russia at a mine reportedly owned by a sanctioned firm linked to Roman Abramovich.
The huge collapse came at the Sheregesh mine in Sibera’s Kemerovo region, near to a popular ski resort.
Residents of a total of four homes had been earlier moved from the site amid fears of a collapse. There are understood to be no casualties.
The incident happened at an iron-ore mine ultimately owned by a British incorporated company linked to ex-Chelsea FC billionaire Roman Abramovich.
An enormous 100ft-wide ‘Gate to Hell’ sinkhole has opened at the Sheregesh mine in Sibera’s Kemerovo region
One house teeters right on the edge as it is almost swallowed up by the implosion
Aerial footage shows a gigantic sinkhole that has formed close to the side of a road and settlements.
A second clip, filmed from ground level, shows cars continuing to pass by in the aftermath of the collapse.
One house teeters right on the edge as it is almost swallowed up by the implosion and puts the sheer scale of the huge crater into context.
A spokesman for Tashtagol district said: ‘The subsidence of the earth’s surface in the boundaries of the mining allotment of the Sheregesh mine was predictable.
‘[Residents of] houses No. 14, 16, 18 and 20 on Pervomayskaya Street were resettled [before the collapse].’
Work at the mine has been suspended.
The Sheregeshsky mine in the Kuzbass industrial area – is owned by steelmaking giant EVRAZ, which was sanctioned by the UK in March linked to the war in Ukraine.
Abramovich – sanctioned by Britain over Putin’s invasion – was reported as owning a 28.64 per cent stake.
The region produces 60 per cent of Russia’s coal and 14 per cent of its steel and rolled products.
No casualties have been reported but work at the mine has been suspended since the sinkhole emerged
Residents of a total of four homes had been earlier moved from the site amid fears of a collapse
Ski resort Sheregesh – known as Gesh to locals – is one of the most popular in Russia and is famous for an annual swimsuit skiing competition in spring
The houses at the site were mainly holiday homes, said reports.
The district government and Evraz intend to fill the hole in future.
The collapse came after an announcement the company was making a major investment in the mine.
Ski resort Sheregesh – known as Gesh to locals – is one of the most popular in Russia.
It is said to have some of the best snow conditions in the world – with the ski season lasting six months.
It is famous for an annual swimsuit skiing competition in spring and has a Guinness World Record for the biggest bathing suit ski race in the world.
The resort is also home to festivals such as shamanic dances and a Russian pancake celebration on the slopes.
In some places, the snow can fall up to four metres deep.
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